Asylum case processing with USCIS is continuing as usual until the moment of the decision

Asylum case processing with USCIS is continuing as usual until the moment of the decision. The recently announced pause only affects decisions, not the rest of the process. 🔍 This means USCIS is still accepting asylum applications, scheduling biometrics, and conducting asylum interviews as normal. I believe officers will usually continue doing their full analysis and drafting decisions around the time of the interview, but they will hold off on hitting submit in the system until the pause is lifted. ✍️ The mandamus lawsuit remains a powerful tool to get a stalled asylum case moving. I’m still highly confident it will force interviews even during this temporary pause. It’s less clear whether it will also force USCIS to issue a decision while the pause is in effect. My firm has multiple cases pending, and we’re arguing that USCIS is required to issue decisions despite the temporary policy. I’ll likely have updates soon. ⚖️ It continues to make sense to get your interview scheduled as soon as possible. The earlier your interview, the better your chances for success, even if the decision is delayed because of this pause. For asylum help, send me the word “consult” in a direct message.